Aligning and gauging fixture



Oct. 24, 1950 QUINLAN 2,527,150

ALIGNING AND GAUGING FIXTURE Filed Dec. 24, 1946 F76. 49 49 FIG. 3

IA/ V5 N 70/? A. A. QU/NlA/V 8) Patented Oct. 24, 1950 UNITED STATES ALIGNENG AND GAUGING FIXTURE Amos L. Quinlan, La Grange Park, 111., assignor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 24, 1946, Serial No. 718,209

6 Claims. v 1

This invention relates to an aligning and gaging fixture and more particularly to a fixture for use in assembling a cathode element in telescoping relation with an apertured anode mem ber to position'the parts in accurate alignment relativeto each other axially and radially and tofhold the parts in-aligned position while they are being further processed.

An object of this invention'is to provide a fixture for aligning and holding parts during assembly thereof;

In one embodiment of the present invention, a fixture is provided comprising a centrally apertured cylindrical bodymember having a slotted tubular end extending therefrom forming a set v 2. tion heating coil priorto its parts being accuratelyaligned;

of jaws adapted to fit into the aperture of the 1 anode and be expanded for alignin the anode radially relative to the body member and the body member is provided with an adjustable gaging element engageable with the anode to position it axially relative to the member, A

gaging shoulder is formed on the inner sides of the anode aligning jaws to engage a shoulder on and axially position the cathode, a portion of which fits into the central aperture of the fixture and into a sleeve chuck mounted in the central aperture. The sleeve chuck has jaws at each' end thereof for radially positioning and holding the cathode relative to the fixture and one set of the jaws engages conical camsurfaces on the anode positioning jaws and the other setv of jaws on' the sleeve engages conical cam surfaces on a hollow screw adiustably carried by the member whereby, when the fixture is applied to the anode and cathode parts and the hollow screw is moved axially, it imparts movement to the sleeve chuckiand causes simultaneous actuation of. the cathode aligning jaws and the anode aligning jaws to effect the alignment transversely of the anode and cathode parts re- Fig. 2: is a vertical sectional view through the sub-unit of an electronic device on a reduced scale from that of Fig. 1 showing an anode structure and a cathode structure in assembled relation on a support and in relation to an induc- 9 lative to theflxture and to each other and to hold I Fig. 3 is a sectional view through the fixture showing a portion of the anode and cathode structures being aligned thereby; and

Fig. is a detail plan sectional View taken on the line 4- 3 of Fig.- 1.

The aligning fixture of the present invention is used for aligning an elongated cylindrical cathode member I t (Fig. 2) of an electronic device in accurate predetermined telescoping relation within an apertured anode M (Fig. 2). The cathode ill has a pair of spaced collars l3 and i i thereon and a cylindrical shell l5 fixedly secured to the lower portion thereof, the lower end of which shell is return-bent to telescopingly engage the end of a cylindrical shell structure 16 fixedly secured to and extending' from the lower portion of the anode member H. The anode ll is centrally apertured and the aperture varies in width along its length and includes a cylindrical surface [8 having a length substantially equal to the distance between the collars l3 and M of the cathode member IS. The cathode ill and anode ll of the. electronic device have been previously assembled in approximately properly aligned position, the cathode iii and the shell !5 securedthereto being held inposition relative to the anode 'H and the shell is by the frictional engagement of the telescoping lower ends of the shells I5 and Ill. This telescoping engagement of the lower ends of the shells l5 and it? forms a loose joint for yieldably holding the cathode in adjusted position relative to the anode and permits a limited movement of the cathode axially of the anode and also permits a limited tilting or pivoting movement of the cathode about the lower end of the shell iii; For proper functioning of th electronic device, it is important that the axis of the cylindrical surface I8 have a predetermined relation to the axis of the cathode member and that the collars i3 and It be located fixed distances from the ends of the surface i8.

To this end the fixture 2c is used and it com prises a cylindrical body member 28 which is provided with a central longitudinal aperture 22, circular in cross section. The lower portion of the body member is reduced to form a tubular extension comprising a cylindrical portion 23, a tapered portion 2 3, and a cylindrical portion 25, all coaxially aligned with the aperture and the member M. A conical surface 2'6 on the tapered portion 25, in coaxial alignment with the member 21, extends inwardly to form a shoulder 28 having a flat surface 29 engageable with the collar l3 of the cathode member ID. The opposite walls of the tubular portions 23, 24 and 25 are longitudinally slotted at right angles to each other, as indicated at 32, to provide four radially movable jaws 33 and form an anode aligning and holding expansible chuck 34.

A collet chuck for aligning and holding the cathode I is mounted within the aperture 22 and comprises the sleeve 35 having conical or tapering end surfaces 36 and 31, the conical surface 36 of the sleeve corresponding to and engaging the conical surface 26 of the tubular portion 24. The opposite walls of the end portions of the sleeve 35 are slotted longitudinally, as at 38 and 39, to provide, respectively, cathode aligning and holding jaws 4U40 and 4|--4| at opposite ends of the collet chuck 35, the slots 38 and 39 being disposed at right angles to each other. Cylindrical aligning and gripping surfaces 42 are formed on the interior of the collet sleeve 35 adjacent the ends thereof and are adapted to ali n and grip the cathode II! when compressed radially inwardly.

A hollow cylindrical actuating member 45 is mounted for axial movement in the aperture 22 and has a recessed end portion providing a conical surface 46 in coaxial alignment with the axis of the aperture 22 for engagement with the conical surface 31 of the jaws 4|. Screw threads 41 formed on the actuating member 45 engage screw threads 48 in the aperture 22 and a knurled handle 49 is provided on the actuating member, by means of which the member 45 may be rotated to impart axial movement thereto. When the handle 49 is rotated to move the member 45 downwardly, the conical surface 46 thereof acts radially to compress the jaws 4| and to impart a downward movement to the sleeve 35 against the conical surface 26 and this movement serves simultaneously to expand the gripping jaws 33 of the chuck 34 against the walls of the aperture l8 of the anode member and to compress the jaws 4|! and 4| of the collet sleeve 35 into gripping relation with the cathode lll. As the chuck 34 is expanded in the anode aperture l8, it serves to coaxially align the member 2| with the anode and. as the collet chuck 35 is compressed. it serves to align and hold the cathode l0 in coaxial relation with the member 2|, with the result that the cathode is brought into coaxial alignment with the anode. If it is desired to position the cathode with its axis in a predetermined eccentric relation to that of the anode, the outer cylindrical surface 50 of the tubular portion 25 may be eccentrically ground to form a cylindrical aligning surface, the axis of which is offset relative to the axis of the member 2| to position the anode in the required eccentric relation to the member 2| and to the cathode.

To gage the position of the cathode ||l axially or longitudinally with respect to the anode H, a collar 52 is adjustably mounted on the body member 2| with a screw connection 53 permitting a micrometric adjustment thereof and the collar is provided with an end gage surface 54 engageable with the end 55 of the anode member II. An upwardly extending skirt of the adjustable collar 52 encloses an enlarged portion 58 of the member 2| and has a series of graduation marks 39 thereon adjacent the upper edge of the skirt and which cooperates with a line 60 on the enlarged portion 6| of the member 2| to indicate the setting of the adjustable collar 52 relative to the member 2| and to indicate the position of the inner gage surface 29 relative to the gage surface 54 of the collar 52.

The anode and cathode structures comprising the electronic unit (Fig. 2) ,before being accurately aligned and soldered together, are received in loosely assembled position and are held together frictionally by the telescopic engagement of the lower ends of their shells l5 and I6 as previously described. The cathode and anode structures, with the anode flange 63 secured to the lower end of the anode, is placed on a suitable supporting fixture 64 with the lower ends of the shell members I5 and I6 in position within a high frequency induction heating coil 65. A ring of solder 66 loosely encircles the lower portion of the shell assemblies adjacent the end edges thereof for the purpose of uniting the anode and cathode structures and sealing the joint formed thereby when heat is applied thereto through the induction heating coil 65 after the cathode and anode structures have been properly aligned. Accompanying each cathode-anode unit 62 is a record sheet containing the dimensions of the critical portions of the anode and cathode structures, which may vary slightly in different units, and from the information obtained from the record sheet, the operator may adjust the collar 52 on the member 2| to effect the proper spacing of the gage surface 29 on the shoulder 28 relative to the gage surface 54 on the collar 52 to properly position the cathode axially with respect to the anode.

The fixture 20 may then be applied to the cathode-anode unit and the upper end of the cathode ||l will fit within the central aperture of the member 2| and within the sleeve 35 and the jaws 33 of the chuck 34 will fit within the aperture l3 of the anode and the fixture will be supported on the anode with the gage surface 54 of the adjusting collar 52 in engagement with the surface of the anode. The operator may then hold the aligning fixture 20 down in engagement with the anode member and, by engaging the shell portion |5 of the cathode from the bottom, he may move the frictionally supported movable cathode structure upwardly until it is stopped by the engagement of the collar |3 thereon with the gaging surface 29 on the fixture. The actuator member 45 may then be rotated to move the collet sleeve 35 downwardly and compress it between the conical surfaces 26 and 46 and thus expand the chuck 34 against the interior surface l8 of the anode and simultaneously therewith contract the jaws 40 and 4| into gripping engagement with the cathode ID to align and hold the cathode relative to the anode With the anode and cathode parts thus properly aligned, the induction coil may be energized to effect the heating of the solder ring 66 and the bonding together of the shells 5 and 6 thereof. After the solder joint has cooled and the cathode III has been fixedly secured in predetermined aligned relationship to the anode the actuating member 45 may be loosened and the aligning fixture removed from the cathode and anode assembly.

What is claimed is:

l. A fixture for aligning and clamping a first part and an apertured second part in predetermined telescoping relation to each other comprising a body member provided with an aperture therethrough for receiving therein a portion of said first part and having fixed thereon a set of jaws at one end thereof disposed about the axis of said aperture and adapted to fit into the aperture in said second part and to be expanded into gripping'relation with said second-part-ior aligniing'the member transversely with respect to said second part, a sleeve member mounted'for axial movement within said body member and having a set of jaws operable to align and clamp said first part in a predetermined relation to said body member, cam elements on each of said set of jaws, said cam elements on one set of jaws being disposed in engagement with the cam elements of the other set of jaws and operable for causing simultaneous actuation of said sets of jaws to effect the inward movement'of one set of jaws into gripping engagement with said one part and the outward movement of the "other set of jaws into gripping engagement with said second part in response to a relative axial movement of said members, and means carried by one'of said members operable for axially moving one of said members relative to the other.

2. A fixture for aligning and holding a first part and an apertured second part in predetermined telescoping relation to each other comprising a body member provided with an aperture therethrough for receiving therein a portion of said first part and having formed thereon a slotted tubular end portion forming a plurality of gripping and aligning fingers in concentric relation 'to the axis of said aperture, said aligning fingers gagement therewith for aligning the second part relative to the body member, tapered cam surfaces on the inside of said positioning fingers forming a conical surface coaxial with the axis of the recess in said body member, a cylindrical sleeve member mounted within said recess with one end thereof in engagement with said"con ical surfaces, the end portions of said sleeve being longitudinally slotted to provide a plurality of jaws at each end thereof, interior part engaging surfaces on said jaws adjacent each end thereof engageable with the first part for aligning and holding said part relative to the body member, and an actuator member having cam surfaces engageable with the jaws at one end of said sleeve and movable axially in said body member to cause the movement of said sleeve and the simultaneous actuation of the aligning jaws and fingers to effect the movement inwardly of said jaws into gripping engagement with said first part and the movement outwardly of said fingers into gripping engagement with said second part for aligning the parts relative to the body memher and to each other and for holding the parts in aligned position.

3. A fixture for aligning and holding a cylindrioal first part and an apertured second part in a predetermined telescoping relation to each other comprising an apertured member for receiving a portion of said first part in the aperture therein and having formed thereon a set of jaws at one end thereof disposed about the axis of said aperture and adapted to fit into the aperture in said second part and to be expanded into gripping relation with said part for aligning the second part with its axis in a predetermined relation to said member, elements on said jaws engageable with the first part to position said part axially relative to said member, an element on said member engageable with the second part for positioning said member axially relative to said secnd part, a sleeve member mounted in telescoping relation with said apertured member for receiving a portion of said first part therein and having a set of jaws at one end thereof adapted 6. to bemoved into gripping engagement with said first part to align said 'part with its axis me predetermined relation to said member, cam surfaces on each of said sets of jaws, said cam surfaces-on one set of jaws being disposed in engager'nent with the cam surfaces of the other set of jaws and operable for causing the movement of one set of jaws into clamping engagement with said first part and of the other set of jaws into clamping engagement with said second part in response to relative axial movement of said members, and means carried by one of said members operable to effect an axial movement of the other of said members. I

4. A fixture for aligning and holding a shouldeft-d cylindrical part and an apertured part in predetermined telescoping relation to each other comprising a-body member provided with a central aperture therethrough for receiving a porion of said cylindricalpart therein and having a plurality-of aligning and gripping fingers formed on one end thereof arranged in concentric relation to the axis of said aperture and adapted to fit into the aperture of said apertured part, a

shoulder elementon the inside of said aligning and gripping fingers engageable with the shoulder on the cylindrical part for positioning the {aligning and gripping fingers, a sleeve member within the aperture of said body member'having longitudinally slotted end portions providing a plurality of jaws at each end thereof with the *jaws at-one'end of the sleeve engagingthe conical surfaces on said aligning and gripping fingers, and an axially movable hollow member within the aperture of said body member and having a come cal surface engageable with the jaws at the other end of said sleeve, said hollow member being operable to impart axial movement to said sleeve and to cause the contraction radially inwardly of the jaws on the sleeve and simultaneously therewith the radial outward movement of the aligning and gripping fingers for effecting the aligning of the parts in a predetermined relation to the body member and to each other and the clamping of the parts in aligned position.

5. A fixture for aligning and holding a first part and an apertured second part in predetermined telescoping relation to each other comprising a body member provided with an aperture therethrough for receiving therein a portion of said first part and having a plurality of jaws formed at one end thereof disposed about tne axis of said aperture and adapted to fit into the aperture of said second part and to be expanded into gripping relation with said part for aligning the second part in a predetermined position relative to said'body member, tapered cam surfaces on the inside of said jaws, a sleeve member mounted for axial movement within the recess of said body member and with one end thereof in engagement with the tapered cam surfaces, said sleeve member being adapted to receive a portion of said one part therein and having a plurality of jaws at the other end thereof movable inwardly for grippingly engaging said first part to align and hold said first part in a predetermined position relative to said body member, andan axially movable actuating member mounted in the aperture of said body member and having a tapered cam surface engageable with the jaws on said sleeve member, said axially movable actuating member being operable to impart movement to said sleeve member and cause the actuation of one of said sets of jaw members inwardly into gripping engagement with said first part and the other of said sets of jaw members outwardly into gripping engagement with said second part to effect the aligning of the parts transversely relative to the body member and to each other and to hold said parts in aligned position.

6. A fixture for aligning and holding a cylindrical first part and an apertured second part in a predetermined telescoping relation to each other comprising an apertured body member for receiving a portion of said first part in the aperture therein and having a plurality of fingers formed at one end thereof disposed about the axis of said aperture and adapted to fit in the aperture in said second part and to be expanded into gripping relation with said part for aligning the second part in a predetermined position transversely {relative to said member, shoulders on said fingers engageable with the first part to position said 'part axially relative to said member, an element on said member engageable with the second part for positioning said member axially relative to said part, means for adjusting said element axially on said member, a sleeve mounted in telescoping relation within said member adapted to telescopingly receive a portion of said first part therein and having a plurality of jaws at each end thereof movable inwardly into engagement -with the jaws at one end of said sleeve for actuating said jaws at said one end of said sleeve, and conical cam surfaces on said fingers engageable with the jaws on the other end of said sleeve and capable of causing the movement of said jaws on the other end of said sleeve inwardly into gripping engagement with said first part and the movement of said fingers outwardly into gripping engagement with said second part in response to relative axial movement between said sleeve and said member, said actuating element being operable to cause the axial movement of said sleeve and efiect the simultaneous actuation of said jaws inwardly into gripping engagement with said first part and said fingers outwardly into gripping engagement with said second part for aligning the parts relative to the member and to each other and for holding said parts in aligned position.

AMOS L. QUINLAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,435,511 Sutherland Nov. 14, 1922 1,747,657 Avilla Feb. 18, 1930 1,965,843 Kuhle July 10, 1934 2,106,451 Brown Jan. 25, 1938 2,202,533 Mason May 28, 1940 2,213,379 Bird Sept. 3, 1940 2,266,795 Parker Dec. 23, 1941 2,271,879 Wallace Feb. 3, 1942 2,288,037 Somes June 30, 1942 2,335,721 Zagar Nov. 30, 1943 2,365,787 Wallace Dec. 26, 1944 2,377,965 Rataiczak June 12, 1945 2,430,260 Trott Nov. 4, 1947 

